Mildewproof fabric and process of making the same



Patented Dec. 13, 1932 um'rsn STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. ADAMS, OF KENYON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO EASTERN FINISHING WORKS, OF KENYON,"RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND MILDEWPROOF FABRIC AND PROCESS OF II'II AKIIIIZ'G THE SAME No Drawing.

been found to be impossible to provide a single protective agent which would protect the fibre or fabric against the action of all the different owths. Among the different groups of iingus growths referred to above may be mentioned algae, growing in full light and in extreme wet surroundings. Fungus growths of this group are inhibited by watersoluble and water-decomposable salts of lead, copper, aluminum, zinc, mercury and some more poisonous metals too dangerous to use. A second group of fungus growth consists of mucors and similar molds usually growing best in damp and relatively dark surroundings and best inhibited. by water-insoluble ox- I ides of iron, chromium, manganese and cobalt.

A third group of such mildews includes the Aspergillae and Penicillium varieties growing best under fairly light and only moderately damp conditions and best inhibited by water-insoluble compounds of chromium, lead, iron, cyanogen and in th s class may be included the dry rots, whose growth is fa-i vored by relative darkness and-poor ventilation.

As stated above these various groups and varieties of fungus growth are so widely different in their nature that it has been found to be impossible to provide a single protec- 40 tive agent which would protectthe fibre or fabric against the action of all the different growths.

one type or group, other protective agencies Certain protective agencies will give protection against fungus growths of Application filed September 4, 1929. Serial No. 390,419.

of another type or group, etc., but if the several protective agencies are mixed together or are a plied to the same surface of the fabric it has been found that they are apt to react on each other to such an extent as to partially or wholly neutralize the protective capacity of each protective agent.

have found, however, that by saturating the fabric or fibre with an aqueous solution containing ingredients antagonistic to one main group of mildews and molds, such as that comprising thealgae type and then dry ing the solution in place and subsequently coating successively the two faces of. the fabric with two different kinds of water-proofing mixtures containing in suspension two different mixtures of insoluble protective ingredients adapted to guard against or antagonize two other main groups of mildews or molds, I can produce a composite structure which resists more completely all three groups of mildews or molds than would be done by the use of any single combination. The first applied watensoluble compound even after drying is not removed-by the two subsequent volatile solvent mixtures carrying inhibiting solids in suspension, and though sufliciently impermeable to prevent these later applications from mixing injuriously do not prevent their mildew inhibitory characters from manifestingthemselves, and these latter applications tend to water-proof and protect from leaching or soaking the first applied water-soluble mixture or compound.

their mildew'inhibiting activity.

In carrying outmy invention I propose first to treat the fabric or fibre by saturating it in an aqueous solution containing water soluble compounds of lead, copper, aluminum, zinc, mercury or other metals capable of being fixed by drying and repellent or or may not be suitably diluted with finely.

divided solid inert matter. The other face of the fabric is then coated with another solution of waterproofing materials which are adapted to resist and antagonize a third group of mildews or molds different from the other two groups. I

Such waterproofing material may consist of similar waxes, gums, resins, oils or greases dissolved in a volatile solvent and carrying in suspension finely divided insoluble solid matter consisting of iron oxides, iron and manganese oxides, or a compound of iron manganese and cobalt oxides suitably diluted with finely powdered inert solid matter.

As illustrativeof some protective agencies coming within the scope of the invention I would refer to the following.

One suitable solution for saturating the fabric in the first instance and which solution is antagonistic to one group of mildews or molds may be made according to the followin formula, which for convenience I will refer to as Formula A.

These ingredients are dissolved in cold water and diluted to a specific gravity of from 5 to 12 Twaddel.

Another suitable solution for this purpose maybe made according to the following formula, which for convenience is referred to. as 4 Formula B.

F ormula B -Pounds Lead acetate 10 Copper aceta 1 2 Aluminum acetate (strong) 10 Zinc acetate 1 l diluted to a H The above is dissolved in cold water and specific gravity of from 5? to 12 Twaddel.

A suitable protective agent adapted to be applied to one surface of the fabric and which is antagonistic to another group of mildews or molds may be made according to the following formula, which for convenience I will refer-to as Formula C.

The. above is dissolved in from 20 to 30 gallons of naphtha according to the thickness of coating desired and the following ingredient-s are then incorporated in the solution:

Pounds Finely powdered dry iron oxide 16 Finely powdered dry manganese brown 3 Cobalt oxide 1 Another protective agent which may be used in place of the above may be made according to the following formula, which for convenience I will refer to as Formula D.

FormuZaD Pounds Paraffin wax -1 40 Ce'resin wax 10 Beeswax: 10 Carnauba wax 3 Petrolatum 20 The above ingredients are melted together and then 16 lbs. of finely powdered dry iron oxide, 3 lbs. of finely powdered manganese oxide are added to the solution.

A suitable protectiveagent for coating the other side of the fabric and which is antagonistic to still another group of mildews or molds may be made according to the following formula, which for convenience I Wlll refer to as Formula E.

Formula E Pounds Cold-vulcanized corn oil 10 Ceresin 15 Japan wax 15 Paraffin wax 15 Beeswax 10 Carnauba wax 5 Linseed oil 10 Petrolatum 20 The above is dissolved in 20 to 30 gallons of naphtha and then has incorporated therein 12 poundsof finely powdered lead chromate (dry) 9 pounds finely powdered ferric ferrocyanide (dry); 12 pounds finely powdered steatite or asbestine (dry).

Still another formula by which an equivalent material may be made is as follows,

which for convenience I will refer to as Formula F.

have incorporated therein Pounds Finely powdered dry lead chromate 7 Finely powdered dry ferric ferrocyanide 5 Finely powdered dry asbestine or steatite- 5 Theabove formulae are not intended to cover all of the different protective agencies which fall within my invention but are only mentioned as giving examples or illustrattions.

The solutions made according to Formulae A and B provide the fabric with ingredients which are impermeable by the ingredients of the other formulae. The aqueous protective agencies or coatings applied to opposite sides of the fabric are of sue a nature that if they were brought together in solution they would react in such a way'that each would partially neutralize the mildew-repelling effect of the other, but by first saturating the fabric with a water-soluble protective agent such as described in either FormulaA or B, the ingredients of which are impermeable by the ingredients of the agents that are applied to the surfaces of the fabric, the water-soluble material with which the fabric is saturated forms abarrier between the two surface layers that prevents them from coming into contact and thus neutralizing eachother while .at the same time the non-water soluble surface layers act to waterproof and protect the water-soluble materials with which the body and center of the fabric are saturated.

The fabric is thus provided with the three different protective agencies, each of which is adapted to combat or antagonize mildews or molds ofsome particular group and these three protective agencies are so applied that no one of them affects the protective action of any of the others so that when treated according to my invention the fabric-receives the full benefit of all three of the different protective agencies.

I claim.

1. A mildewproof fabric comprising a fab- I ric saturated with a mildrew-resistant agent which is repellent to mildews of one group, said fabric having on each face a superficially applied mildew-resistant agent which is repellent to mildews of a particular individual group, the mildew-resistant agents which are superficially applied to the faces of the fabric having the capacity of neutralizing each other when brought into contact and the protective agent with which the fabric is saturated being impermeable to the other mildew-resistant agents and constituting a barrier between them which prevents them from reacting on each other.

2. A mildewproof fabric comprising a fabric saturated with a mildew-repellent agent containing a metal acetate, each surface of the fabric being coated with a mildew-re ellent agent containing waxes and metal oxide.

3. A mildewproof fabric comprising a fab- .ric saturated with a mildew-repellent agent containing metal acetate and which is repellent to mildews of one group, each face of the fabric being coated with a different mildew-repellent agent repellent to its own individual group of mildews, the first-named agent with which the fabric is saturated constituting a barrier between the other two agents which prevents them from reacting on each other.

4. A mildewproof fabric comprising a fabric saturated with a mildew-repellent agent containing metal acetate and which is repellent to mildews of one group, each face of the fabric being coated with a different mildew-repellent agent repellent to its own individual group of mildews, the mildew-repellentagent with which the fabric is saturated being impermeable by the other mildew-repellent agents. v

5. The method of mildewproofing a fabric which consists in saturating the fabric with a mildew-repellent agent repellent to mildews of one group, applying to one face of the fabric a different mildew-repellent agent which is repellent to mildews of a second group and which will not permeate the first-named mildew-repellent agent and then coating the other face of the fabric with a third mildew-' a water solvent mildew repellent agent, drying the protective agent in place, and then coating the two faces of the fabric with two different volatile solvent mildewproofing waterproofing solutions, neither of which will permeate the agent with which the fabric is saturated.

In testimony whereof, I have'signed my name to this specification. A

' WILLIAM H. ADAMS. 

